Markstrom, Panthers get pounded 7-1 by Caps

The question that Panthers coach Kevin Dineen had to be asking after watching the resurgent Capitals score four goals on their first eight shots against two different goalies was probably: "Did goalie coach Robb Tallas bring his gear?"

Tallas, 39, who suited up Sunday when Jacob Markstrom's equipment was misplaced by the airline, couldn't have done worse than the Swedish rookie or veteran backup Scott Clemmensen in an embarrassing start to Thursday night's 7-1 blowout loss at the Verizon Center.

The Panthers have been outscored 31-7 while dropping their last seven in the D.C. house of horrors, including a 5-0 loss last month. Only a goal by Jack Skille in the third period prevented Florida's fourth shutout loss in the last five games in the nation's capital.

"They're a good team in their building," Skille understated.

On the bright side, the realignment plan that was approved by the players Thursday has the Capitals and Panthers in separate divisions.

"I think they smell blood when we come in here," a disgusted Dineen said. "You outshoot a team 4-0 on the first two shifts and you let two goals in on two shots. Obviously, I didn't think Jacob Markstrom was ready to play tonight. … The starting guy has to be the go-to guy, a hard lesson for us and [Markstrom].

"You could talk about pushback, but you get spanked 7-1, obviously, it's unacceptable."

There will be little time to pout as the Panthers host the Jets again Friday.

Young Caps goalie Braden Holtby had 29 saves and is 4-0 against Florida but 8-3 during a recent run that has moved the Caps out of the Eastern Conference basement, where the Panthers now reside by themselves at the halfway mark.

Markstrom, who was coming off a 30-save feel-good victory over Winnipeg on Tuesday, received what has to be one of the fastest hooks ever after giving up two tissue-soft goals on Washington's first two shots in the first 3:10.

"There's no excuse for all of us," Markstrom said. "It was terrible and I feel like I let the team down."

The first came on an unscreened blue-line bomb from defenseman John Erskine at 1:58 that caught most of Markstrom's pads before dribbling across the goal line.

Just 1:12 later, Wojtek Wolski scored on a wrap-around to end Markstrom's evening.

Clemmensen relieved and 2:18 later, defenseman John Carlson unleashed an unscreened blast just inside the blue line. Then Alex Ovechkin set up Mike Ribeiro on the doorstep to cap off a four-goal barrage in the first 8:10.

Dineen called a timeout. Instead, he should've put the whole team in timeout.

It's the second-fastest time in NHL history that any team has scored four goals to start a game, behind Pittsburgh's 7:04 barrage in 1995, according to Elias Sports Bureau.

In the second period, Panthers defenseman Tyson Strachan took out his frustration on the head of Jason Chimera for a five-minute major, game misconduct and possible suspension. The Panthers may call up recently acquired defenseman Brendon Nash from San Antonio.

Ovechkin responded with a power-play snap-shot tally. In the third, Eric Fehr added another power-play goal and Matthieu Perreault capped off the rout with a toe-drag, spin-o-rama with 59 seconds left for No. 7 to tie a season high in goals against the Panthers.